rzqhg CLXXVIII. FROM THE SAME. London, December 24th, [1706.] I HAVE both your's, and your friend's of the 17th. I can't bring myself to think that the Union will break upon the 8th Article, tho you fear it; but I have ever rather thought it would rather break than do, except allmost one week. 24 (The Court), it feems, is willing that 272 (Johnstone) should understand them, but 275 (Johnstone) is poffitive to feem not to do it. Some have owned to 275 (Johnstone) that the Union is good for both kingdoms, but not good at prefent, and may be done with more harmony, and without any bad confequences, at another time. 32 (The Whig Lords) fee enough, and apprehend the worft, but they diftruft one another; and indeed there is fo much artifice at prefent, that nobody knows whom to truft, as you'll be convinced when I tell you at meeting how I came to write fuch angry letters. I began to be undeceived before I had your's and your friend's; but his came seasonably to undeceive others. Pray defire him to write what he thinks fit, directed to me at my house in town, and figned by him, for the want of that is my friend's objection to the use of this, tho he himself has no doubt about wlrzq ohxxhuw xr eh it; and write yourself too what you please to me at my house, letters to be fhewn. 164 (Nottingham) has taken fuch advantage of 228 (Atholl), and wrq8w 7uhk4mp5hqx3 not 241 (Tweeddale's) fon's regiment, that as you'll hear that is help'd. Farewell. CLXXIX. FROM THE SAME. London, December 31st, [1706.] My laft was of the 24th December; your's of the 21ft and 24th, but not that letter which in your last you referr to for particulars. The addreffes must be changed. You may, I think, depend on it that the alterations you have hitherto made will not break the Union; but if you goe on altering, it's like your alterations will be altered here, which will make a new Seffion with you neceffary, and in that cafe no man knows what may happen. I wish you could tell me if you apprehend that a new gift will be asked of the Bishops' leafes. The Bishop of Salisbury preached this day at the Te Deum, and faid a great many good things, but fpoke too freely, (it will be faid,) of one crown'd head to another. Farewell. CLXXX. FROM THE SAME. January 4th, [1707.] YOUR friend is going to the country for a few days, and bids me only tell you that the Whigs are refolved to pass the Union here, without making any alterations at all, to fhun the neceffity of a new Seffion with you, provided you have been as reasonable in your alterations as you've been hitherto. It's true many of the Commons fay this is prefcribing to them: why not they make alterations, fay they, as well as you; but in all probability this humour will be over-ruled. The Duke of Marlborough is to have five thousand pounds a-year out of the poft office by an act to goe with the title. 9 (The Duke of Marlborough) endeavours to have it believed that 32 (the Whig Lords) are turning 100 (against the Union), and indeed fome of them talked very oddly, but many of 35 (the Tories) fay that 60 (the Union) only can hinder 57 (Standing Armies). One would think that there would be no oppofition, and yet 275 (Johnstone) cannot reconcile matters; if not that 27 (the Court) varies. Farewell. CLXXXI. TO SECRETARY JOHNSTONE. YOUR laft was of the 4th; mine of the 11th. The Articles were confidered on Tuesday without any amendment but thofe formerly mentioned, except a clause added to the 24th, for keeping the Regalia and Records in Scotland. The first was necessary to please the Commons, for that matter goes far with them. Yesterday the A& ratifying got a first reading by a vote; but before it could be got at, the motion for concluding the manner of our representation prior to the Act was renewed, and much infifted on, but rejected. This day a bustle was made upon a petition from the Kirk against a clause in the Act which they were pleased to conftruct ane homo logation of the English Hierarchie, and that which would involve the nation in guilt; yet in effect it was no more than a declaration, that upon England's ratifying the A&t past for the fecurity of our Church, any A&t to be paft there for the fecurity of theirs, and not derogating from or inconfiftent with our fecurity within Scotland, fhould be held as ratified without the neceffity of a new ratification in Scotland. This was done to prevent all furder voting in the matter, in cafe England fhould agree to the Articles as amended. Therefore there was likewife a generall claufe, declaring that England might extend in their own favours the amendments made in favour of Scotland, as about drawbacks, &c. which should be held as ratified without any furder ratification. The Act carried by 41: Yeas, 110; Noes, 69. January 16th, 1707. CLXXXII. FROM SECRETARY JOHNSTONE. January 17th, 1707-6. I'm glad to hear that you're better. I have not been well myself. I've had your's of the 7th and 11th. Now that the Union is as good as done with you, we have no doubt of its doing here, and that without fo much as one alteration. There has been fome warm fpeeches here amongst the Commons upon the allowing of 900,000 pounds of additional charge beyond the funds, which will make the taxes go near to £7000,000 this year; but the heat went not fo far as a vote, or divifion, and yet it had more root than any oppofition to the Union is like to have, unless there be underhand working, which does not yet appear. 31 (The Whig Lords) begin to talk very favourably of 47 (the New Party), and affect to do it of 243 (Roxburgh). 121 (Somers), &c. are now convinced of what 273 (Johnstone) has often faid, that without 48 (the New Party) 28 (the Whigs) will not be gainers by 58 (the Union). I hope you'l think of your being a member of the British Parliament. If 275 (Johnstone) could be it, he gladly would for many reafons, fome of which concerns 48 (the New Party) as much as himself. 30 (The Whigs) having lately done fo much for 16 (the Lord Treasurer), he seems now to be entirely 99 (for the Union). If this be fo, no doubt you have obferved more heartinefs in fome men these three weeks last past. My last was the 4th of January. I wrote two about the wine to 243 (Roxburgh), but have had no answer. Farewell. Nothing does Mrs. Johnston so much good for the pain in her head as palfy water-drops, which are not to be bought even here, such as she has, and fuch as they should be, and are mighty good for deafnefs. If your phificians approve of it, I'll endeavour to get fome fent down in the black box. CLXXXIII. TO SECRETARY JOHNSTONE. My last was of the 16th. The House having agreed to go upon the representation after the Act ratifying, Marchmont did yesterday make the following motion;-Refolved, That the fixteen peers and fortie-five commiffioners for fhires and burghs who are to be members to the first Parliament of Great Britaine, for and on the part of Scotland, be chofen of this prefent Parliament; and that the members fo chofen be the members to the first Parliament of Britaine, if her Majefty fhall declare, before the first day of May next, that it is expedient that the Lords and Commons of the prefent Parliament of England be the members of the firft Parliament of Britaine. It was much oppofed, and the debate adjourned to this day, when it was renewed, and at last carried by 20. This was defigned to have been added to the 22d Article, but that fome feared it might obftruct or poftpone the concluding of the Union; therefore, to keep the matter open, the claufe mentioned in name of the 7th was added to the Article. The motives for and against the overture were the fame; That a reprefentation from this Parliament would better answer the ends of the Union than any could be got by ane election in the countrey, which, confidering the present ferment, might prove moftlie Torie, if not Jacobite, (for that after the Union there is to be no barr upon the electors by oaths), and confequentlie contribute to make the Union heavie at first, in order to break it. The chief arguments advanced in the House for it were, That England had continued their Parliament; that if our whole Parliament had been to be incorporate, we might have done the fame, as all agreed, much more what was lefs, especially seeing that matter was left to be ordered as the Parliament of Scotland thought fit:-against it, That it was inconfiftent with our standing laws, and the 22d Article, as ratified. To the firft it was anfwered, That it was no more fo than the restricting our reprefentation to fixteen peers and fortie-five commiffioners for fhires and burghs, and lefs than turning the meeting of the Eftates to a Parliament, and which had been approven by another Parliament:—to the last, That the feeming inconfiftencie was taken off by the claufe added to the Article, whereby that matter was left entire, to be determined as the Parliament fhould think fit (this was explained at large); and that the House might as well appoint the reprefentation from this prefent Parliament, as fix the manner of representation to fubfequent Parliaments by joyning and difjoyning of fhires and burghs, which would be absolutelie neceffary in the prefent jun&ture. The feeming inconfiftencie of the Refolve with the Article was what ftumbled fome; at leaft fo it was pretended, for Leven and others who had been for the Treaty, were either abfent, did not vote, or were against it; among the latter were Cromartie's people. There were others that went along, tho' not verie forwardlie, on pretence it might be made a handle by the Tories for to get the English Parliament diffolved: befides, they knew not how it might be taken above by the Court and Whigs; therefore propofed a delay till advice might be had. This was in private. To which it was faid, That a thing might be confented to which the consenters might not think fit to advise; that a delay might endanger the lofing it, if the numbers who had been against the Union fhould come from the countrey and joyn thofe amongst ourselves who were against the overture: befides, if it were not agreeable above, the Parliament there might reject it. In fhort, fome of the Miniftrie were forced to it by the New Partie, particularlie the Chancellor. Mar was for it. This meafure the New Party thought neceffary both for the Union and themselves; if it is not rightlie understood, the Whigs have done with it. January 21ft, 1707. N. liq: Leven. Ab: Rofeberrie. N. 1: Castlestewart. N. 1: Sorbie. N. 1: Tillicoultrie. Ab: Bowhill. Ab: Dornock. N. 1: Pennicook. Ab: Sir Rot. Forbes. |